The Coordination Chemistry of Mercury

Abstract

The coordination chemistry of mercury has received rather less attention than that of the later transition elements, due in part to the fact that as a d10 metal ion Hg2+ exhibits neither paramagnetism nor ‘d-d’ spectra, the study of which have provided much of the impetus in other areas of coordination chemistry. However, the current interest in the biological properties of mercury clearly points to the need for a more complete understanding of the ability of mercury to bind various donor atoms and of the resulting stereochemistry.